Acupuncture is best known for treating pain but its uses go far beyond sciatica, neck, knee, or other body pain. One of the most effective ways you can use it is to defend yourself against the common cold or to stop a cold from advancing deeper into your system.

At LBCA we use formulas in conjunction with acupuncture for relief from the common cold. The term “common cold” is a bit of a misnomer, especially as we understand it in Chinese medicine, because no one catches a cold in the same way. Each of us has different constitutional strengths and weaknesses and that affects how we catch a cold.

Do you know what the very first symptoms are for you when you begin to get a cold? Some people do. They may get a sore throat, while others merely a scratchy throat. One person might always get a cough and have lots of phlegm, while another might suffer from body aches or sweat more.

No matter how it manifests, acupuncture can work really well in the very early stages of a cold and can effectively keep it from going deeper into the body and making you miserable for several days. That’s one of the main reasons we take walk-ins—no one plans on waking up with a cold, but we are here in case you do!

Getting regular acupuncture treatments can heighten your sensitivity to how well your body functions and can actually strengthen your immune system to keep colds at bay. Extreme changes in weather, like we’ve been seeing in Southern California lately, can easily set us up for colds and flu. If you feel like a cold is coming on, make an appointment, don't wait. It's always easier to address a problem at the outset!